Carthusia: 2 posts

As we recently talked about uplifting perfumes, we discovered that fig inspired scents can be terrific mood-boosters. So, Elisa reviews another fragrance with a fig theme. 

Fig fragrances usually fall into one of two camps: There’s the woody, leafy-green variety, best represented by Diptyque Philosykos and L’Artisan Premier Figuier (both composed by Olivia Giacobetti). Then there are the jammy, sticky figs, like Mugler’s Womanity and Byredo Pulp. I enjoy both styles, but I had started to feel that there wasn’t much point in trying new fig scents, since they’re always so familiar. We already own a bottle of Philosykos. Fig is fig, right?

Wrong, as it turns out – Capri Forget Me Not from Carthusia, an aromatic, citrusy fig fragrance released in 2012, has reminded me that there are always new ways to use old materials.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Carthusia is a line of fragrances created (or in some cases, reorchestrated) by the perfumer Laura Tonatto, whose separate eponymous brand was established in 2000. Carthusia purports to bring us the scents of Capri, and Numero Uno must be one of its most pastoral expressions. It has a rustic character that comes from the herbal notes with a slightly camphorous facet. This roughhewn chypre executed in a fairly traditional manner started out rather promisingly, with the bright citrusy top notes folded around the green herbaceous accord. …

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